Deck

This might be stating the obvious but scratch-cooking tastes better. While many restaurants might tout a signature house-made dish, others adhere to this mantra as a philosophy. Lucky for us, Amerigo Delicatus, which opened on north Larimer Street in mid-August, is one of the latter.

A small, carefully edited menu highlights chef Iain Chisholm's strengths. Dishes featuring the house-made pasta are composed with restraint, often dressed simply with good quality olive oil. Fresh mozzarella shines in the caprese salad and the spot-on, like-minded sandwich. While I have yet to try something I have not liked, I’m particularly smitten with one item: the house-made potato chips. I went for a sandwich and I never expected the side to steal the show.

These chips are light and airy, and practically grease-free. The crispy, skin-on rounds impart an intense potato flavor, while the mandatory saltiness comes through in bursts of coarse-ground salt. Lastly, the obligatory crunch is both delicate and crumbly.

Go now and pick up a sandwich for lunch (I recommend the salumi or the caprese). Although worthy on its own, the mid-day sustenance is even better with a side of those chips.

Bonus: Want to take the good stuff home? Amerigo Delicatus is also a market, selling fresh-made pastas, sausages, and sauces to go.